


Gift Exchange

by onthighsbelongtotaemin



Series: cripple punk [7]
Category: SHINee
Genre: Awkward Flirting, Christmas, Christmas Fluff, Christmas Party, Christmas Presents, Disabled Character, F/F, Flirting, Girls Kissing, Kissing, Mistletoe
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-23
Updated: 2017-12-23
Packaged: 2019-02-17 19:55:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,849
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13084233
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/onthighsbelongtotaemin/pseuds/onthighsbelongtotaemin
Summary: Minjung meets a hot girl at her brother's Christmas party and they end up with each others' gifts.





	Gift Exchange

Minjung stares at the narrow path that leads between where she sits on her brother’s couch to the dining room where the majority of the guests are crowded around a small folding table.  A Christmas tree twinkles brightly to her left in a tight corner and across from her three windows glow with falling snow illuminated by street lights. In front of them, a pair of folding chairs and a coffee table sit empty, and the empty space between them & Minjung is filled by the most gorgeous woman she’s ever seen, and whose presence is making it difficult for Minjung to figure a way out of the living room to the dining room for more cocoa.

Not only is the living room itself crammed with furniture, there is a small table up against a wall that juts out just enough that she’s sure to hit her hip against either it or the chair the hot girl is sitting in. And either way, catch her reflection doing so in the mirror that hangs above the table.  Neither is an optimal good first impression, though neither is staring at the floor for as long as she already has.

Looking up, she feels her mouth go dry even as she tries to introduce herself and break the ice that’s quickly growing thicker as the quiet between them drags on.  It’s difficult, though; this woman really is gorgeous.  Her lips are bright red and there’s a scar in one eyebrow that Minjung wants to run her finger over.  She’s wearing a black velvet dress with matching collar that is somehow both simple and alluring.  It’s her hair that stands out and keeps Minjung tongue-tied, even though it’s the most obvious conversation starter: it’s bright green and looks like it should the icing on a Christmas cookie.  The hot pink wheelchair she sits in reminds Minjung of the Barbie doll convertible car her cousin made her play with when they were children and she wonders absently if she’s Junghee’s friend of Minho’s.

“Does it make you nervous?”  Minjung breaths out a sigh at the sound of the voice: husky with a tinge of annoyed amusement.

“What?”

“The chair.”  Minjung looks over at the folding chairs across from her and frowns.

“Which one?”  The scarred brow rises and Minjung tucks her fingers under her legs.

“The one I’m sitting in.”  She looks down at the hot pink wheelchair and thinks.

“A little.  My feet are so big and the room is so cramped.”  Now both eyebrows rise and she fumbles on, leaning forward.  “No, they’re really big.  I get stepped on and step on people constantly.  And they make flapping sounds when I walk down those hallways that are weirdly quiet but echo everything.  It’s really embarrassing.  So yeah, a little.”  They watch each other for a few seconds, Minjung’s heart racing while the hot girl watches her with raised brows. Awkwardly she adds, “I’m Minjung, by the way.  Minho’s sister.”

* * *

A pause that seems to last for ages finally breaks with a smile a small laugh.  “Gwiboon,” the hot girl says.  “Taeyeon’s friend.”

“Ah, Taeyeon!” Minjung answers happily.  “Minho has so many friends it’s hard to keep track sometimes. Taeyeon I know.  Love Taeyeon. Have actually met Taeyeon,” she adds with a laugh.  Gwiboon smiles at that but doesn’t say anything.  Minjung nods at nothing.

The quiet is quickly broken by Minho announcing that the gift exchange is about to commence, followed by a cheer from the rest of the guests.  It was then that Minjung remembered her earlier goal and began to stand.  The game would take a while to be set up, numbers handed out for everyone to take turns and she had a few bills in her pocket in case she wanted to buy back any of the gifts the might end up in her lap. Truthfully, she had only come to have a little fun with her brother and his sort-of girlfriend Junghee.  If she caught a friendly kiss or two under the mistletoe all the better.  For now, she just wanted a cup of cocoa and offering to get a cup for the hot girl, for Gwiboon would be a chance to make more conversation.

 As the numbers began being pulled out of a brown paper bag with red, green, & white snowflakes printed on it, Minjung stood up.

“While they get that set up, I’m going to go get some hot chocolate. Would you like a cup?”  Gwiboon smiled and Minjung felt her heart race.

“Cocoa sounds good.”  Minjung nodded and began to shuffle through the narrow space between Gwiboon and the table. “Also,” Gwiboon added when Minjung was halfway, her head tapping awkwardly against the mirror that reflected the mistletoe hanging just a foot or two behind where Gwiboon sat, “I promise not to step on your feet.”  Minjung looked down at her expressionless, confused, until she got the joke and began to laugh.

“Thank you for your consideration.  I’ll do my best to keep my big feet out of your way.”  Another smile from Gwiboon had Minjung grinning as she headed into the dining room.

Taeyeon was in there, and a few others that she recognized and waved at. Junghee was playing hostess with joy and Minho was watching her starstruck.  

When Minjung came back, she handed Gwiboon one of two mismatched mugs, placing her own down carefully on the coffee table before taking her seat again on the sofa.  Gwiboon gave her the ticket that she had missed receiving while she was pouring out their drinks, and she was pleased to discover that, despite the numbers being pulled at random, Gwiboon’s number was before hers and hers was the last of the whole group.

They watched as friends, as strangers opened gifts of varying levels of interest with varying degrees of delight.  Minho received a set of plastic cookie cutters in the shape of vegetables and Junghee a set of Play-Doh.  The two laughed together when they realized that, in a way, their gifts matched.

“Well,” Gwiboon said with her head tilted in thought, “I guess it’s something to do.”

When it was her turn, Taeyeon’s eyes widened and she quickly hid her gift behind her back while the crowd around her began to laugh and whoop. She grabbed her cane and began to hurry from the cramped dining table to where Gwiboon and Minjung sat alone in the living room.

“Unnie!” she hissed through clenched teeth and Minjung’s eyes widened, knowing that it had to be something bad.  Taeyeon only called any of them “Oppa” or “Unnie” when was extremely emotional, good or bad.  Like the time her mother finally let her go skiing, or the time her childhood dog had to be put down.  And just now with whatever horrifying gift she had received.  

Minjung could see what it was, but Gwiboon’s snort and quick shuffling of it into a compartment beneath her wheelchair was enough to let her know that it wasn’t for her to.  To her surprise, Taeyeon actually pulled up a chair and leaned her head on Gwiboon’s shoulder and Gwiboon responded by wrapping both arms around Taeyeon’s head.

The move was so tender and intimate that Minjung quickly turned away, sipping at her cocoa as inconspicuously as she could, and only half-hearing Gwiboon murmur, “It’s not that bad.  And even if it is, you can wait to have your meltdown.  Can’t you see I’m with a hottie?  How am I supposed to get any mistletoe action with you blubbering on my shoulder?”  Minjung blushes and tries not to choke on her coca even as she takes another sip. Taeyeon’s voice murmurs something she doesn’t hear as it’s drowned out beneath a wave of cheers from the dining area. Only when she hears, “You can stop pretending not to be listening,” does she look back up.

“I wasn’t listening,” she replies indignantly, twisting back toward Gwiboon.  “At least, I wasn’t trying to.”  Taeyeon’s head still rests on Gwiboon’s shoulder and she’s blinking sleepily even though it’s only nine o’clock.  The rainbow cane she carries everywhere is propped up against Gwiboon’s chair and she’s holding it loosely in one hand.  Suddenly, her head bops beneath Gwiboon’s shoulder’s thrust and she frowns indignantly and blinks again.

“Unnie,” she says softly, “I’m down to two.”  Minjung hides a frown of concern behind a sip of cocoa and her chest warms both by the drink and the sudden tenderness in Gwiboon’s eyes.

“Can you get down there OK?”  Taeyeon rolls her eyes but doesn’t move.

“I’ve lived here for years.  I can ride an elevator.”

“With a heavy door,” Gwiboon points out.  Taeyeon does seem faded and if she’s at a two Minjung knows it would be best if someone went with her back to her apartment.  She sets her mug on the table and shuffles awkwardly past Gwiboon again and heads toward the dining room.  Minho’s at the table next to Junghee and she pulls him aside to whisper in his ear and let him know where she’s going.  He begins to turn, Taeyeon is like a little sister to him and he’ll want to carry her downstairs himself.  She holds him steady with a shake of her head and he nods and goes back to take his place beside Junghee.

“All right, Tae,” Minjung says brightly when she gets back.  “You promised me a look at your new curtains and I need a breath of fresh air.”  She leans down and whispers loudly in Taeyeon’s ear, “And to freshen up a bit myself. There’s a hot girl with gorgeous green hair I’d like to get to know and you’re in the way.”  Taeyeon gives a little laugh and struggles to her feet, leaning heavily on her cane as Minjung leads her to the door.

They slip out unnoticed and Minjung makes no mention of the gift Taeyeon left tucked in Gwiboon’s chair.  As soon as they’re in the hall, she says, “I’m going to put my arm around your waist, OK?”  Taeyeon nods and Minjung grabs her up quickly.  “Tell me what you need and don’t need.”  Minjung opens the elevator door when they get in and she pulls it open again when they get out.  

“Do you really want to see my curtains?” Taeyeon asks with a wry smile when they reach her door.

“A little,” Minjung answers.  “Mostly I want to make sure you’ll be OK.”  

“Just need to get to bed.”  They walk together to Taeyeon’s bedroom and Minjung wishes her a goodnight after giving her her meds and then locks her door behind her before heading back upstairs.

The muffled voices of the party in Minho’s apartment suddenly bursts in Minjung’s ears when she opened the door.  Gwiboon still sat where she had when Minjung left and she takes a moment to admire the bright green locks as she shuts the door.  The mistletoe hanging from the ceiling caught her attention again and she hopes, when Gwiboon turns around, that she might find some use for it before the night ended.

“We’re the last ones,” she says with a grin, pointing to Minjung’s seat where a neatly wrapped gift sits, “And no one wants our prizes.”

“Really?” Minjung asks excitedly as against she maneuvers through the narrow path between Gwiboon and the table.  “Not even just to know what they are?”  Gwiboon leans in conspiratorially as Minjung picks up her gift and takes a seat.

“I may have threatened harm if they made any attempt. You…”  At that, she leans back and looks down at the gift in her own hands. Minjung’s eyes widen when she recognizes the small gold gift bag.  “You have the gift I brought,” Gwiboon murmurs.  The present on the cushion next to Minjung is pristinely wrapped in paper that shimmers silver in the dim light.  She chuckles and puts it in her lap.

“You have the gift I brought.”  Gwiboon laughs shyly, a thumb pressed against her lips.

“Really?”

“Yep.  I guess it’s fate.”

“I guess so.”  

They both look down at the gifts int heir hands, neither willing to break the stillness of the moment.  It takes Minho bursting into the tiny space between them with an arm braced against the wall to break the spell.

“So what did you get?” he asks eagerly, frowning when he sees they’re still in their packaging. “You haven’t even opened them yet?!”

“Go away!” they cry angrily in unison, their frustration melting into smiles when they meet each other with bright eyes.  Minho glances between them and slowly stands up, stuffs his hands into his pockets, turns around, and walks away.

“You go first,” Gwiboon says, chin tilted in Minjung’s direction.

“No, you,” Minjung insists.  “Your number was before mine.”  Gwiboon seems prepared to argue but then just shakes her head and unties the ribbon Minjung had used to keep the bag closed until the gift exchange.

It’s a simple window ornament that could double as a Christmas ornament: A stained glass drawing of a pair of pups with curly fur snuggled up asleep on a rug.  Gwiboon holds it up so that it catches the light from the kitchen.  Her face is soft and her red lips are still so pretty, but Minjung cant’ tell yet if she’s pleased or not.  “I got it because I thought at least Junghee would like it. And take pity on me if it came to that. It’s OK if you don’t, I-”

“I love it,” Gwiboon says quietly, still looking at the ornament. “It looks just like my dogs. You’ll have to meet them some time.” Suddenly her lips purse and she glances at Minjung in embarrassment.  “I mean if you want to.”  She laughs awkwardly and lays the ornament on her lap, the bag forgotten beneath her arm. “Now you.  I bought mine with Minho in mind.  So if you have similar tastes this might not be a horrible gift.”

“I’m sure I’ll love it,” Minjung laughs as she rips the paper apart. A box opens up onto another box which opens up onto another box and by the time she’s at the fifth box she can barely breathe from laughing.  “Please tell me you didn’t just bring a box of boxes to this party!  That would a horrible gift!”

 “No, not quite.  You’re almost there.”  In the very last box, Minjung finds a simple silver band with an interwoven design around the edges that reminds her of the ocean meeting the sky.

“It’s…wow…”

“Not a total bust?” Gwiboon asks hopefully, eyebrows raised.

“It’s perfect.”  Minjung tries it on and finds that it slips easily over her middle finger.  “We’ve only just met and you’re already buying me jewelry.”  Her cheeks burn and she looks up, flustered at Gwiboon’s grin.  “I mean, this was in the $25 budget?” she asks skeptically.   Gwiboon tilts her head.

“I have a friend who designs jewelry.  And it’s a simple design.  A little boring for the crowd that brings things like what Taeyeon got.” She emphasizes her point by patting the bag at the back of her chair.  “A safe bet, though.”

“Like me,” Minjung murmurs brightly.  Gwiboon looks at her in confusion and Minjung quickly shifts her gaze back down to the ring in embarrassment.

“Oh you’re a safe bet.”  She looks back up to catch Gwiboon’s head falling back in laughter. “I thought you meant you were the sex toy ice cubes crowd.”

“Oh.  Yeah. I mean…both.  Wait.  No. Safe bet.  Ha.  Well…how graphic?”  Gwiboon’s laughter intensifies and Minjung’s grateful that she seems genuinely amused.

“Minjung.  About two rolls behind us there’s some mistletoe.  If I rolled back there…how safe a bet would it be to believe that if I asked you to join me under there you would?”  Minjung’s eyes crinkle as she smiles and she bites her lip.

“Like I said, I’m a safe bet.”  Gwiboon smiles and begins rolling backward, not bothering to look and Minjung is only half paying attention herself.  When she gets there, Gwiboon mouths, “Want to join me?” and Minjung nods eagerly, ring still on her finger as she more easily makes her way out of the living room.  

As though it were something they had done a hundred times, she slips into Gwiboon’s lap, arms wrapped around her neck and Gwiboon’s own around Minjung’s waist and legs.  

“Hi,” Gwiboon murmurs, brushing her lips against Minjung’s and keeping a true kiss just out of reach.

“Hi.”  

And then their lips meet and they lose themselves in the taste and the touch, the newness of it all.  When they finally break it’s with schoolgirl giggles and shy smiles, another kiss that is long and a little less intense.

“My number,” Minjung says when she sends Gwiboon a message.  “So that I can meet your dogs.”

Minjung kisses her brother’s cheek and gives him and his sort-of girlfriend each a hug when she leaves that night.  When she’s in bed she stares at the ring on her finger and smiles.


End file.
